Compare and Contrast Essay
AP World History, Period F
April 23, 2012
Compare and Contrast Essay Although they are two totally different battles, the Normandy Landings and the Battle of Gettysburg have many similarities and differences. The Normandy Landings are also referred to what most people recognize today as D-Day. It took place on June 6, 1944 and was an allied invasion on the coast of Normandy. The Battle of Gettysburg took place a little over eighty years before D-Day. It was a significant battle during the Civil War. The battle was fought July 1-3, 1863 in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. One significant similarity between the Battle of Gettysburg and the Normandy Landings is that they were both known to be turning points in their respective wars. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade’s Army of the Potomac defeated Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, which ended Lee’s invasion of the north. The two armies were known to initially collide at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on July 1, 1863. At first, Robert E. Lee and his troops had the upper hand in the battle. That changed on July 3, 1863, the third day of fighting. Despite significant losses, the Union defenders held their lines. The main event was a dramatic infantry assault by 12,500 Confederates against the center of the Union line, which was known as Pickett’s Charge. However, the charge was put to a halt due to the Union’s artillery and rifle fire, which ended up in significant losses to the Confederate Army. Lee was forced to retreat. The following November, President Lincoln redefined the purpose of the war in his well-known Gettysburg Address. The Normandy Landings, also known as D-Day, was also a pivotal turning point in World War II; particularly in Europe. This type of attack had been held off for a long period of time because the United States did not think they had enough trained men and materials. However, by the beginning of June 1944, the United States and Great Britain had
April 23, 2012
Compare and Contrast Essay Although they are two totally different battles, the Normandy Landings and the Battle of Gettysburg have many similarities and differences. The Normandy Landings are also referred to what most people recognize today as D-Day. It took place on June 6, 1944 and was an allied invasion on the coast of Normandy. The Battle of Gettysburg took place a little over eighty years before D-Day. It was a significant battle during the Civil War. The battle was fought July 1-3, 1863 in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. One significant similarity between the Battle of Gettysburg and the Normandy Landings is that they were both known to be turning points in their respective wars. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade’s Army of the Potomac defeated Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, which ended Lee’s invasion of the north. The two armies were known to initially collide at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on July 1, 1863. At first, Robert E. Lee and his troops had the upper hand in the battle. That changed on July 3, 1863, the third day of fighting. Despite significant losses, the Union defenders held their lines. The main event was a dramatic infantry assault by 12,500 Confederates against the center of the Union line, which was known as Pickett’s Charge. However, the charge was put to a halt due to the Union’s artillery and rifle fire, which ended up in significant losses to the Confederate Army. Lee was forced to retreat. The following November, President Lincoln redefined the purpose of the war in his well-known Gettysburg Address. The Normandy Landings, also known as D-Day, was also a pivotal turning point in World War II; particularly in Europe. This type of attack had been held off for a long period of time because the United States did not think they had enough trained men and materials. However, by the beginning of June 1944, the United States and Great Britain had